May 20, 2025; Miami, Florida, USA; Chicago Cubs right fielder Kyle Tucker (30) hits a solo home run against the Miami Marlins during the first inning at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
And you know what the Cubs probably need to take it a bit further because Kyle Tucker isn’t playing like a guy who is close to being healthy. Jed Hoyer talked about how Tucker has changed his mechanics after dealing with a finger injury back in June and there’s just no way you can convince me that his finger isn’t still creating issues at the plate.
We’re talking about a guy who was the fourth-best hitter in the NL by the end of June to a guy who has one home run in the past two months. After going 0-for-4 in Monday’s 7-0 loss to the Brewers, Tucker’s slash line in August dropped to an unbelievable .148/.233/.148. That’s a .381 OPS in 54 at-bats.
Tucker will be getting a few days off to reset on the bench.
“The fans are frustrated, Kyle’s frustrated, and it’s unfortunate … We’re gonna have to take a little step back here for sure.”
Recently called up outfield prospect Owen Caissie is starting in right field in Game 1 of Tuesday’s double header against the Brewers as Tucker’s benching has immediately started.
Here’s what Hoyer said regarding Tucker’s struggles during his appearance on 670 The Score Monday morning.
“He probably changed his mechanics a bit while fighting through it,” Hoyer said on the Mully & Haugh Show on Monday morning. “And I think that probably is a big part of it. I mean, he is a little bit different mechanically than he was at the beginning of the year, and that’s what he’s working hard to get back to.”
I mean, the Cubs probably should have done this a while ago or as I keep hinting at, maybe they should have placed Tucker on the 10-day injured list a few weeks ago. Sure, Tucker was still somewhat contributing in July with a .380 OBP, but it was pretty obvious that he wasn’t right, considering he ended the month with a .295 slugging %.
Of course, Tucker’s decline isn’t the only issue with the offense. Besides Matt Shaw, nearly the entire lineup has slumped since the All-Star break and the Cubs rank near the bottom of the league in runs per game during the past month. If the Cubs turn it around, then Tucker has to contribute. But it sure would help if other guys around him would step up, too.
It wouldn’t have mattered anyway, considering the offense once again did not show up, but of course the one time Cade Horton‘s blister issue pops up is when the Cubs began a crucial five-game series against the Brewers. The rookie right-hander exited after 2.2 innings in Monday’s 7-0 loss as Horton could no longer proceed because of a blister that affected his ability to throw his secondary pitches.
It turns out that Horton isn’t a stranger to dealing with blisters, but the timing sure was awful as he was forced to leave the game in the third inning, when it was still only one-run advantage for the Brewers. Again, it most likely wouldn’t have matter because the Cubs offense put up a total of two hits against the Brewers.
The good news is that Horton feels pretty good about making his next start despite the blister on his right middle finger.
Horton said he started to feel the blister becoming a problem during the second inning against the Brewers. Luckily, because he does have prior experience on a yearly basis, Horton knows how to manage the issue and prevent it from becoming a multi-week problem.
The 23-year-old made his MLB debut back in May and he’s been excellent for the Cubs this year. Horton has a 3.08 ERA through 87.2 innings, which included a record-setting scoreless streak for a rookie pitcher in franchise history. Entering Monday’s start against the Brewers Horton recorded a 1.13 ERA during his past seven starts.
You certainly hope that the blister issue is contained and Horton won’t miss any substantial time. Maybe the Cubs push him back a few days, but we’ll see as the rotation is in flux at the moment with Javier Assad being optioned back to Triple-A recently and Jameson Taillon returning from the injured list to start Game 2 of today’s double header.
After Monday’s game Jordan Wicks was reportedly en route to Chicago from Triple-A Iowa.
I’m told that LHP Jordan Wicks is en route to Chicago. No word on if or when he’d be activated. But Wicks, who would give the Cubs an option soon, has pitched really well for Iowa.
Wicks has a 3.47 ERA with 64 strikeouts in 59.2 innings this year at Triple-A. The lefty has been up a few times in 2025, but has only thrown 8.1 innings in the majors. We’ll see if Wicks is added to the pitching staff or not.
Aug 17, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) throws the ball during the first half against the Buffalo Bills at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images
Caleb Williams finally looked like the franchise quarterback Chicago’s been waiting for.
In the Bears’ 38-0 destruction of Buffalo, Williams gave us a glimpse of something we didn’t see nearly enough of in his rookie campaign: control. He wasn’t running for his life. He wasn’t out there trying to be Patrick Mahomes without the offensive line. He was calm, calculated, and efficient — exactly what Ben Johnson’s system demands.
This wasn’t just a couple of nice throws. This was a statement. Williams’ two drives weren’t about flashy stat-padding. They were about proof of concept. Proof that Ben Johnson’s offense can take the most sacked QB of 2024 (68 damn times) and turn him into a disciplined, structured field general. Proof that the Bears might finally — finally — have a quarterback who can win football games with his brain as much as his arm.
Let’s break down the five biggest takeaways from Williams’ best showing as a pro.
1. Pocket Presence and Decision-Making Transformation
Last year, Caleb Williams was a walking “hold-my-beer” meme every time the pocket collapsed. Instead of cutting his losses, he’d bail, scramble, or force some hero-ball nonsense that usually ended in a sack, a pick, or him eating turf. That’s how you rack up 68 sacks in a season.
But against Buffalo? Whole different story.
When the pocket started caving on a screen, Williams didn’t panic. He didn’t try to bounce outside and turn the play into backyard chaos. Instead, he made a veteran decision: throwing the ball at his lineman’s feet. That’s boring football — and that’s exactly what the Bears need from him. It’s the kind of maturity that wins games in December, not just highlights on Twitter.
He finished the night 6-for-10 for 107 yards, a 130.0 passer rating, and, most importantly, zero “WTF was that?” throws. His opening drive completion streak (6-of-7 to start) showed he wasn’t out there hunting explosives — he was taking what the defense gave him. For a QB who used to hold onto the ball like it was his emotional support blanket, that’s massive progress.
The offensive line held up decently — only one holding call on Drew Dalman — but Williams rewarded them by not hanging them out to dry. That’s new. That’s growth.
2. Anticipation and Timing Mastery in Critical Situations
Quarterbacking in the NFL is about anticipation. If you wait to see the receiver open, it’s already too late. Rookie Caleb was guilty of that over and over. Saturday night? Different animal.
Two throws stood out:
The DJ Moore Out Route (3rd-and-5): This was surgical. Buffalo showed man with pressure looks. Williams stepped up, threw the ball before Moore even finished his break, and dropped it right on time. That’s not luck. That’s trust, timing, and confidence in the system.
The Rome Odunze Drop (3rd down): Yeah, it wasn’t caught. But the process was everything. Williams ripped the ball into a tight window, trusted his rookie wideout, and delivered it in stride. Odunze didn’t finish the play — but the quarterback did his part. Williams even admitted afterward, “I could’ve been better there”, but for having pressure in his face off the blitz pickup, it was still a decent throw.
These are the exact plays that separate the guys who can run an offense from the ones who need chaos to thrive. Williams finally looked like he trusted what he saw, trusted his guys, and trusted himself.
3. Timing and Rhythm in Ben Johnson’s Complex Offensive System
Ben Johnson didn’t come to Chicago to watch Caleb run around like a chicken with its head cut off. His system is timing-based, precision-based, and ruthless on quarterbacks who can’t process.
And Williams? He finally looked like he belonged.
On the opening 92-yard drive, Williams played point guard. Short hitches. Quick progressions. Tight end strikes. He found Cole Kmet for 28, Colston Loveland for 18, and DJ Moore for a crisp five on an out route that kept the chains moving. No hesitation. No backyard BS. Just rhythm.
The highlight, though, was the 36-yard touchdown to Olamide Zaccheaus. Williams hit him in stride out of the slot, Zaccheaus broke a tackle, and it was six. That’s how the system is supposed to work: timing, placement, YAC. That play looked like it came straight out of Johnson’s Detroit playbook.
This wasn’t Williams freelancing. This was Williams executing. That’s the difference.
4. Dealing with Adversity
For the first time in forever, the Bears scored on their opening drive. Let me repeat that: the Chicago Bears started a game with a touchdown drive. That alone feels like breaking a curse.
But what made it more impressive was the adversity baked in. They started pinned at their own 8 after a muffed kickoff return from Tyler Scott, and later in the drive were pushed back by a holding call on Drew Dalman that set up a tough 2nd-and-long. That’s the exact kind of sequence that buried Caleb last year. This time, he responded by dropping a dime downfield to Colston Loveland for 18 yards, flipping the drive’s momentum and showing he could keep his composure when things weren’t clean.
From there, he marched them 92 yards with patience and poise. The finishing touch? A 3rd-and-6 laser to Zaccheaus for the score. Williams identified the coverage, trusted the timing, and delivered on schedule. No hesitation. No panic. Just execution.
That’s a quarterback thriving in adversity — something he was flat-out bad at as a rookie. If this keeps up, the Bears won’t just be moving the ball — they’ll actually be cashing in.
5. Chemistry and Trust Building with Key Offensive Weapons
The Bears didn’t draft Rome Odunze at No. 9 just to make TikToks with Caleb. They drafted him to be a weapon. And while Odunze had the drop, the willingness from Caleb to fire that ball into a contested window tells us more than the result.
Williams also showed instant chemistry with his tight ends — a core feature of Johnson’s scheme. Kmet got a 28-yard strike. Loveland hauled in an 18-yarder. These aren’t dump-offs. These are chunk plays to guys who will be security blankets all season.
And of course, DJ Moore remains the rock. Williams trusted him on third down, hit him on the sideline, and showed he knows Moore is still WR1. Distributing the ball to multiple guys, hitting progressions, and not forcing it to one star? That’s how you keep defenses honest.
The rookie QB who stared down his first read is gone. This looked like a quarterback running an actual offense.
Bonus: Pre-Snap Command and Line Communication
We can’t ignore the little things. Williams looked decisive at the line. He made checks, communicated protections, and looked like he knew what the hell he was doing before the ball was snapped. Ben Johnson even praised him afterward: “His process is really clean right now.”
That’s huge. Because last year, Caleb looked like he was solving calculus at the line. Now? He looks like he’s driving the offense, not surviving it.
Final Verdict
Let’s be real: it’s the preseason. Buffalo wasn’t throwing the kitchen sink at him. Nobody’s fitting him for a gold jacket yet. But this wasn’t about numbers — it was about how he played.
Williams showed pocket maturity, anticipation, rhythm, poise, and chemistry with his weapons. He looked like a quarterback who can run Ben Johnson’s system, not fight against it.
That’s the pivot Bears fans have been praying for since Cutler left town.
If this version of Caleb Williams shows up in September, the NFC North isn’t just a two-team race between Detroit and Green Bay anymore. Chicago might actually matter again.
State Reps. Dave Vela, D-Rockford, Joe Sosnowski, R-Belvidere, and state Sen. Steve Stadelman, D-Loves Park, participate in a panel discussion during the Northern Illinois Council of Governments Legislative Luncheon on Dec. 18, 2023, at Cliffbreakers in Rockford.
People have been confused for months about why the Chicago Bears‘ stadium plans have taken so long to get off the ground. The organization purchased the Churchill Downs property years ago. They have all the necessary paperwork. Part of the issue was that they deviated from the original plan because they wanted to try building a state-of-the-art complex downtown. However, it became obvious Governor J.B. Pritzker would not offer any public assistance for that. So team president Kevin Warren pivoted back to Arlington Heights.
Problem solved, right?
Nope. The past couple of weeks, it feels like the Bears have put on a full-court press in the media to get the stadium off the ground. Illinois’ legislature will reconvene in October to vote on legislation. One bill on the table is what the Bears need passed to clear the way to begin construction. Rick Pearson of the Chicago Tribune has reported that things are much worse than that. Corruption has always been a core issue in Illinois politics for decades. It appears various politicians are now trying to gouge the franchise for money to get the votes they need for the bill to pass.
It’s stuff right out of a Hollywood movie.
Already, there is $525 million in outstanding public debt from the controversial 2003 Soldier Field renovation, a tab currently covered by city hotel taxes and, when that falls short, by Chicago’s share of state income taxes. The Bears’ lease at Soldier Field expires in 2033, but it can be broken early with a penalty, and the team says it will take three years to build its new stadium.
But even if the Bears were forced to pay off the outstanding debt, that alone is unlikely to be enough to satisfy city lawmakers who are key in providing the necessary votes to advance any legislation to help the team.
Instead, the Bears’ hole may have grown deeper, with legislators from the city potentially seeking additional funding from the team, ranging from help to maintain the Soldier Field lakefront campus to programming funds for the city’s public schools to even assistance related to funding for a public transit system that’s facing a shortfall of hundreds of millions of dollars.
And if votes of downstate lawmakers, largely Republicans, are needed in the Democratic-led legislature, they are likely to make their own demands that the team help fund some of their local initiatives.
The Chicago Bears clearly went into this without a plan.
They likely assumed the process would be relatively straightforward, which was beyond naive. The McCaskey family has always shown that they never fully grasped the quagmire politics can be. If you’re not willing to grease the wheels, don’t expect the vehicle to move forward. If it sounds dirty and underhanded to hold a stadium hostage for more money, that’s because it is. This is the same problem George Halas ran into for years when he owned the Chicago Bears. He never had the money to meet every demand for a new stadium nor the political savvy to navigate the waters. Having Warren in charge was supposed to help this time, given his experience getting U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis built. He clearly wasn’t prepared for the cesspool he stepped into in Springfield.
Aug 17, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson on the field before a game against the Buffalo Bills at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images
Ben Johnson was only focused on one thing Sunday night at Soldier Field. That was getting quarterback Caleb Williams through the preseason game against Buffalo with a clean operation and some quality play. Those goals were accomplished. Williams didn’t make any glaring mistakes, had 101 yards in two drives, and threw a touchdown pass. You can’t ask for more than that from a young quarterback in a brand-new offense. Yet it gets even better than that.
Everybody knows Williams has more than his share of haters. They’ve denounced the quarterback at every opportunity, even proclaiming his career over because he had some misfires during a net throwing drill. So it probably won’t surprise you that two of these guys from Stadium Live decided to place a bet on the game. They put down $10,000 that Williams’ first pass of the night would fall incomplete. Try to imagine how satisfying it was when Johnson called a simple play action bootleg on the first play, giving Williams an easy completion to Colston Loveland.
These are the same types of guys who made the Angel Reese missed shot bets go viral. They delight in highlighting the failures of professional athletes. It is eternally satisfying to see karma catch up to them like this. Betting on a preseason game by itself is dumb. Putting down $10K on it? That is next-level stuff. Ben Johnson seems to take a certain pleasure in making life miserable for opposing fans of his team. It was true in Detroit and will be again in Chicago. Williams’ strong performance probably made those guys feel even worse because he didn’t miss on most of the throws during his first drive. Maybe they will learn a valuable lesson from this experience.
Luther Burden was widely projected as a future top 10 pick when the 2023 college season ended. A year later, his production dipped, and various pre-draft rumors led to him falling to 39th in the 2nd round, where the Chicago Bears picked him up. The widespread belief was that Burden had elite traits as a wide receiver, but questions about his commitment to the game. He was accused of not being a great practice guy. This was compounded by the belief that he had no interest in any responsibilities outside of catching passes.
That included blocking.
Many worried he might not fit with the philosophy of the new head coach, Ben Johnson. He famously said when he arrived in Chicago, “No block, no rock.” In other words, if you don’t block in his offense, don’t expect to get the football thrown your way. Burden put those concerns to bed on Sunday night against Buffalo. On not one but two goal-to-go plays, the receiver delivered crushing blocks that directly led to rushing touchdowns. It was confirmation that the scouting reports may have been gravely mistaken.
For a guy whose commitment/desire was questioned at draft time, Luther Burden did the dirty work on this TD.
Getting Luther Burden to buy in was always the concern.
If teams get even the smallest sense that a player isn’t fully committed to football, they won’t take him in the 1st round. They’re too nervous to take the risk. Nothing is worse than a player not working out because he wasn’t willing to put in the time. Johnson didn’t have any such fear. Jeff Hughes of Sports Mockery reported months ago that the Bears’ head coach had unwavering self-confidence in motivating players. He can get guys to buy in. All he had to do was get Luther Burden in the building. Based on the early returns, he was right to feel that way. The rookie has five catches for 78 yards across two preseason games and two highlight-reel blocks. The Bears weren’t under any pressure to play him immediately. They have plenty of options on offense with D.J. Moore, Rome Odunze, and Olamide Zaccheaus. Burden is making it impossible to ignore him.
Jul 12, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Sean Burke (59) prepares to take the mound during the first inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images
After an impressive cup of coffee with the White Sox last season and a strong performance on Opening Day, Sean Burke looked primed for a breakout 2025 season. That has not happened. In fact, his struggles have culminated in him getting optioned to Triple-A earlier today. It is a steep fall from grace for the young right-hander. While the demotion could be more for workload concerns than his performance, Burke has struggled with inconsistency all season long. Using an opener in front of him regularly could be what he needs to get back on track.
Burke’s Struggles
Burke’s struggles are primarily in two distinct sections of the game: the first inning and facing a lineup for the third time. In the first inning this season, he has a 5.85 ERA and .892 OPS against in 20 innings. When he faces a lineup for the third time, opposing hitters are batting a whopping .403 with a 1.278 OPS against him in 71 plate appearances.
Efficiency has also been a big issue for Burke. He has made it past the fifth inning in a start just once in the past two months. He was candid about his recent struggles with reporters following his most recent performance, “I think the last two starts have just been embarrassing with how I’ve been throwing the ball. I just got to figure it out and piecing together some better outings again,” he said. It is worth considering that he has already pitched more innings this season than ever before, so fatigue could explain his recent struggles. Still, the results have not been good.
Benefits of Opener Strategy
The concept of an opener is not new. In fact, the White Sox have already tinkered with this approach with Burke a couple of times this season. In 22 innings over four games as the “bulk” pitcher in 2025, he has pitched to a much more respectable 3.27 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, and 9.8 K/9. His strikeout-to-walk ratio is also much better at 4.80 as a bulk pitcher than 1.76 as a traditional starter. It is a small sample, but he looks to be more comfortable in the role of a bulk pitcher.
Using an opener for Burke is beneficial for several reasons. For one, it ensures he will not be ambushed by the best hitters on the opposing team immediately. Instead, he can settle into the game more easily against the middle of an opposing team’s lineup. An opener also reduces the chances of Burke facing an opposing lineup for the third time, where he has struggled mightily.
Adjustments Are Needed
While he has shown more production coming in after an opener, Burke still has much work to do to refine his game. He ranks in the bottom half of just about every pitching metric per Baseball Savant. His four-seam fastball, slider, and changeup have also graded out poorly by the metrics. He will likely have to tweak his arsenal to become a successful MLB caliber starting pitcher over an extended period.
White Sox Must Get Young Pitchers Back On Track
Time is still on Sean Burke’s side. He is only 25 years old and has 28 career MLB appearances. Much like Jonathan Cannon, who was also sent down to Triple-A a couple of weeks ago, Burke has the potential to become a successful starting pitcher at the MLB level. For now, however, using an opener in front of him could be just what the doctor ordered to get him back on track.
Aug 17, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears tight end Cole Kmet (85) after the game against the Buffalo Bills at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images
It was an uncomfortable feeling when the news dropped. Cole Kmet had been the unquestioned tight end for the Chicago Bears pretty much since 2021, his second season in the league. Despite so many offensive coaching issues in that time, he’s developed into a good player. However, the arrival of a new staff brought a new vision for the offense. Head coach Ben Johnson weaponizes the tight end better than most in the NFL. True to that vision, he urged GM Ryan Poles to draft athletic specimen Colston Loveland 10th overall.
Many felt this might be the first sign that Chicago was preparing to phase Kmet out. The veteran admitted he had similar feelings as well. Johnson made sure to call and assure him that the decision was less about Kmet and more about what the pair of them could do for the offense. There was little choice but to trust him. A few months later, Kmet’s tune completely changed. After the Bears’ 38-0 preseason stomping of Buffalo, he explained to the media that having Loveland on the field has made life so much easier than he expected.
“When you have Colston out there, what’s nice is now I get matched up with a linebacker instead of a safety,” he said. “In previous years, when we were in 12, I would more likely get the safety. Now, if they go man (coverage), I am getting the backer, which is a huge advantage for me. I can run away from a backer pretty easily.
“And then if they decide to go nickel, good luck stopping us in the run game. There are a lot of advantages we can get from using it.”
Cole Kmet knows his limitations, and so do the coaches.
He’s got the size and strength. What he never had was the speed. He is fast enough to outpace most linebackers, but safeties in general have too much range to escape. Loveland is a different animal. His greater speed and route-running skills present a far more dangerous matchup, which forces opposing defenses to devote their safeties to dealing with him. Now you have no choice but to put a linebacker on Cole Kmet. As he showed on Sunday night, that leads to bad things like a 29-yard chunk play up the seam. It is a pick-your-poison situation. That is what Johnson was going for all along, and something he didn’t have in Detroit. That is what makes the Bears’ offense potentially even more dangerous than the one he left behind.
Jul 2, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Chicago White Sox pitcher Sean Burke (59) pitches during the third inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Less than six months after being named the Opening Day starter, the White Sox have optioned Sean Burke to Triple-A Charlotte.
The move comes after Burke allowed three runs in 3.2 innings against the Kansas City Royals on Saturday, raising his ERA to 4.28 on the season. While Burke was only charged for two earned runs, he allowed five hits, including two homers, with a walk and three strikeouts.
The 25-year-old right-hander has thrown 117.2 innings for the White Sox this season across 24 appearances, 20 of which were starts. It’s been a mixed bag for Burke this year, who has five quality starts but has also struggled to miss bats.
The former third-round pick ranks in the bottom half of the league in chase, whiff, and strikeout rate, with an expected ERA of 5.13 that sits in the bottom 15 percent of MLB. Burke’s 10% walk rate and 35.2% ground ball rate have also been a concern, as opponents are hitting .253 off of him.
However, things have not been all bad for Burke. His curveball has emerged as the best pitch of his arsenal, producing a .209 opponent batting average and a 25% whiff rate. Of his five pitches, it is the only one with a positive Run Value, aided by 59 inches of vertical drop, which is much higher than the league average.
The move to the minors could be aimed at managing Burke’s innings or addressing issues that are tougher to fix at the big-league level. Jonathan Cannon’s demotion earlier this month left one hole in the White Sox rotation. Martín Pérez should help absorb some innings, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see Burke back in Chicago before the season is over.
White was claimed off waivers from the Yankees in February and has thrown 6.2 innings for the White Sox this season, posting a 4.05 ERA across two appearances. He only has 13.2 career MLB innings under his belt, with the other seven innings coming as a member of the Rangers in 2023 and 2024.
White has started 15 games for the Charlotte Knights this season with a 4.93 ERA in 69.1 innings of work. During that stretch, he struck out 56 batters but handed out 38 free passes.
With Yoendrys Gómez, Shane Smith, and Aaron Civale tapped as the White Sox next three probable starters and Perez likely to start the series opener in Minnesota, it remains unclear whether White will get the next turn or if the team will again turn to its opener strategy.
Aug 17, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears defensive end Austin Booker (94) celebrates after sacking Buffalo Bills quarterback Mike White (14) during the first half at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images
There was so much positivity coming out of the weekend for the Chicago Bears. They dominated the Buffalo Bills 38-0, marking their first preseason shutout since 1999 and their most lopsided victory since 1994. Caleb Williams looked great in his two drives with the starting offense. The Bears ran the ball for 171 yards and three touchdowns. The defense smothered everything Buffalo tried. Not much happened to dampen the mood. Unfortunately, it always seems like there’s a bitter aftertaste with victories like this.
For the Bears, it came on the injury front. The most notable was cornerback Terell Smith, who left the game on a cart with what looked like a scary knee injury. However, that wasn’t the most alarming moment for the team, at least not from the broader perspective. That came when Austin Booker (knee) and Dominique Robinson (ankle) left the game with injuries and didn’t return. Remember, these two were positioned as the primary backup defensive ends to Montez Sweat and Dayo Odeyingbo.
If those injuries are serious, the depth situation that was already questionable for the Bears becomes a legitimate crisis.
#Bears rule DE Austin Booker out for the remainder of the game. He has a knee injury.
The Chicago Bears don’t have many in-house options.
They signed veteran Tanoh Kpassagnon earlier in training camp. He hasn’t stood out much. Daniel Hardy has been active, but doesn’t possess the size that defensive coordinator Dennis Allen usually prefers. It isn’t a great situation. The Chicago Bears were really banking on Booker becoming their primary rotational rusher while Robinson and maybe Kpassagnon serve as backups. It is possible the team will shift rookie Shemar Turner to the defensive end. He played there in college before moving to defensive tackle last year. Outside of that, they may have to dabble in the free agent market again. Some notable names are still available, but all of them might be out of the Bears’ preferred price range. Medical examinations will tell the story on how serious this is.
